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Sunday, December 20, 2015

ALLEN, Samuel and Sarah

UPDATE - this photo has been donated to the Johnson County Historical Library in Coralville, Iowa, for use in their exhibit on the history of the Flexible Flyer.

This photo was located at the Palm Beach County Fairgrounds, in December 2015, at their monthly Antique Fair.

Samuel L. & Sarah H. Allen
Thirty-Fifth Anniversary
11th Month, 22nd, 1901

Taken at the Gilbert Studio in Philadelphia PA.

Census records nearest the time of the photo, find them in Burlington NJ, a suburb of Philadelphia.

1900 Census, New Jersey, Burlington, Chester, NY, 249 East Main Street
ALLEN, Samuel L., head, May 1841, 59, born in PA of PA and NJ parents, manufacturer of Agricultural Implements
ALLEN, Sarah H., wife, Jan 1843, 57, born in NJ of NJ parents
ALLEN, Elizabeth R., daughter, Feb 1868, 32, born in NJ
ALLEN, Susan J., daughter, Nov 1876, 23, NJ
ALLEN, Charles J., son, Dec 1877, 22, NJ, at college
ALLEN, Emily H., Apr 1879, 21, NJ, at school

Samuel Leeds Allen's parents were John Casdorp Allen Sr (1807-1896) and Rebecca Smith Leeds (1815-1890).

Sarah Hooten (Roberts) Allen's parents were Elisha Roberts (1818-1885) and Elizabeth West Hooten (1819-1889).

Samuel has his own Wikipedia page, which identifies him as an inventor and holder of nearly 300 patents, including the "Flexible Flyer" sled and numerous items of farming equipment such as the seed drill, potato digger, grass edger and many others.

Concerned that his Farm Equipment employees would be laid off over the winter months, Samuel Allen (a great sledding enthusiast himself) devised a winter top-seller in the Flexible Flyer.

2 comments:

  1. The Flexible Flyer Sled Museum at the Moorestown Library would love to receive a copy of this photo of SL Allen and Sarah, residents of Moorestown NJ

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    Replies
    1. Philip - As you can see above, the original of this photo was sent to the Johnson County Historical Library in Coralville Iowa. I no longer have the photograph in my possession. I would recommend that a representative of the Moorestown Library contact them to inquire about the photograph. Perhaps they have wrapped up their flexible flyer exhibit by this time. Alternatively, if you click on the photo above of the Allens, you will be taken to a larger version of the image which you can easily save and print. I hope you find this information useful. Thank you for visiting the blog.

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